Letters to the Editor - October 31, 2008

Friday

Oct 31, 2008 at 3:15 AM

Vote yes on the tax cap

To the editor: The proposed tax and spending cap limits any increase in property taxes to the rate of inflation of the previous year's National Consumer Price Index Urban. It does not cut any budgets but keeps any tax increase in line with the cost of living and keeps spending to necessities and not to wishful wants. The residents of Rochester must stay within a budget, why is the city any different? Any additional income from state or federal aid or tax income from new properties is not subject to the tax cap and can be added to the budget.

Can the city of Rochester live on a budget? Sure it can. Other cities are doing it and so can Rochester. Some city councilors have been watching the spending by not allowing the city to take over the airport nor purchase land at the airport and looking at every line item in the budget and cutting where necessary. With the tax cap in place, maybe all of the councilors will keep spending in line.

Vote yes on the tax and spending cap.

Dave Sangster

Rochester

St. Hilaire has local roots

To the editor: District 2 voters in the Rochester-Somersworth area this year have a unique opportunity to choose and elect a candidate to the governor's Executive Council who has strong local roots and connections in both communities.

Dan St. Hilaire, his parents and brother lived in Rochester for five years where Dan attended the McClelland elementary school and where his mother also was a volunteer classroom educational assistant. His father was born, raised and educated through the Somersworth parochial and public school systems and later worked for WWNH in Rochester as a broadcaster.

Dan is the grandson of the late Albert "Bill" St. Hilaire, one of three St. Hilaire brothers who operated the family owned Coca Cola Bottling Company in Somersworth.

Having longtime family, friends and acquaintances in the area where he often visits, Dan is fully aware of the local issues and concerns affecting the well-being of area constituents. He knows that it is much easier to identify a problem than it is to find the solution. In this process, and during the six years to elective office as the Merrimack County Attorney, Dan, in every decision making process, took steps to effectively study and weigh all possible alternatives to make intelligent choices.

Dan St. Hilaire is known to display expert leadership, motivate people, be an active listener, keep lines of communication open, keep an open mind, and treat everyone with importance. Someone once said that a leader is an individual "who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way." On Tuesday, November 4, I ask that you consider, support and vote Dan St. Hilaire to go and show the way and bring your voice and his leadership skills to the Executive Council in Concord.

Norman St. Hilaire

Concord

Kudos for an act of kindness

To the editor: This letter is addressed to the person in the bright yellow sports car who was on the Sarah Mildred Long bridge around 6 p.m. Wednesday, October 8th: You should be commended for your kindness in turning around on the bridge and heading south to run over the injured, but still alive, sea gull.

I was heading north on the bridge when I saw you turn on the bridge and head back to run the sea gull over until it was dead, a courageous and compassionate act. This was an honorable act and one of common decency. I was proud to bear witness to this merciful act, as hard as it was to watch, and certainly a harder thing for you to do.

If the bird collided with your car and was injured this way, you showed the ultimate in accepting responsibility for your (accidental) actions, something rarely seen. Many would not have given the bird a second thought and would have driven on.

Whoever you are, thank you for being a decent person and putting an end to the life of a severely injured bird. The world needs more people like you!

Nina Duddy

York, Maine

Groen Builders always eager to comply with regulations

To the editor: I am a professional wetland scientist with 24 years of experience working in New Hampshire. I have consulted to a broad range of clients that include engineers, surveyors, realtors, abutters, municipal conservation commissions and planning boards, builders, developers, and attorneys on a variety of residential, commercial and industrial projects throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine.

The information I provide clients is used to guide the thoughtful development of land in order to protect sensitive natural features that include wetlands and surface waters.

I have provided professional consulting services for Fenton Groen and Groen Builders on and off over the years in support of several residential development projects that were proposing to construct super energy efficient homes. In each case, it was my experience that Fenton Groen and Groen Builders was eager to comply with local, state and federal rules and regulations that guide the responsible development of land so that wetlands and water quality are protected.

Marc Jacobs

South Berwick, Maine

The picture said it all

To the editor: As an Independent, I receive a lot of mail, etc. from the various candidates on both sides. Most of it is rah-rah stuff or hate mail about the opposition. But I had to chuckle at the photo in a recent flyer from the Shaheen campaign about her position on health care.

There's Shaheen in between the doctor and patient, symbolizing the looming bureaucrat inserting the government into patient care. Is that what we want? Our representatives in the examination room in between our doctors and our families? The picture was all too telling.

Luke Pickett

Stratham

McCain's deceptive language

To the editor: Candidate McCain just spoke on NPR, distorting language, as he does. McCain said, "Sen. Obama and I differ. He says taxation has been too low, and I say spending has been too high."

Game-show bells should ring for the brilliant (not) Sen. McCain! (But with so many failures under way at once, this campaign for president /vice-president is no game.)

Sen. Obama is right that taxation has been too low. This is the first war-set (Iraq and Afghanistan) we've waged without paying for it, but borrowing for it at approximately $10 billion-plus per month. Lucrative military contracts have made some few wealthier, while our general economy demands monetary life-rings. Sen. Obama wants to resume taxing appropriately those individuals who make above $250,000 yearly and give breaks to those with less income. Good.

"Spending has been too high"? Yes, Sen. McCain, and the Republicans have done so for eight Bush-led years, with your participation. Spend, spend, spend — and charge it!

How slip-slidey of you, Sen. McCain, comparing the apple to the orange, Sen. Obama's focus on taxation with your focus on (Republican) spending.